Rick Bass is a writer and environmental activist. He was born in Fort
Worth, Texas, in 1958, but spent much of his youth in Houston. He graduated
from Utah State with a degree in geology and then worked as a petroleum
geologist in Mississippi. In 1987 Bass moved to Montana and began writing
full-time. He is the author of numerous short stories, novels, memoirs and
essays. Much of his work focuses on the reasoned benefits of preserving
wilderness areas, such as the roadless Yaak Valley of Montana, where he and his
family live.

The collection is composed mostly of the literary works and research
materials of Rick Bass. Literary works are in original manuscripts, galleys,
proofs, and other revised draft copies. Some materials are business
correspondence and scrapbook materials. The correspondence reflects Bass’s
activities with literary agents, book and magazine publishers, and conferences
he attended. Some correspondence is fan mail. The holograph notebooks,
conservation papers, and environmental reports make up the research materials
gathered by Rick Bass. The holograph notebooks are original hand notes of
Bass’s stories and books. About six boxes have files concerning his
participation with the Yaak Valley Forest Council. Thirteen boxes are
geological records of oil and gas induction logs and leases from Alabama and
Mississippi petroleum sites gathered by Rick Bass while working as a petroleum
geologist.

The collection is in good condition and is part of the James Sowell
Family Collection in Literature, Community and the Natural World.

Organization

The collection is organized into the following series:

Box #1-9: Correspondence, 1986-2001

Box #9: Financial Material, 1989-1996

Box #9-35: Literary Production, 1978-2001 and undated

Box #35-61: Research Files, 1980-2000 and undated

Box #62: Printed Material, 1982-1987

Box #62-65: Scrapbook Material, 1989-2000 and undated

Box #66-78: Geological Records, 1958-1995 and undated

Tube #1: Logan Canyon, Utah Maps, undated

Oversize Materials: Posters, 1996 and undated

Index Terms

The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special
Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally
developed.